Travel to Polar Regions

Being Caribou: Five Months On Foot With An Arctic Herd

Format: Hardcover
Author: Karsten Heuer
ReleaseDate: 30 November, 2005
Publisher: Mountaineers Books
Rating:

in the footsteps of the caribou
Without detracting from the movie, the book provides more insight into those aspects of the story that could not easily be addressed on film, such as logistics, nature observations, the passage of days, and the more personal side of what, at times, must have seemed an impossible journey. Having enjoyed the movie by the same title, I decided to read Heuer's book in the hope that it would fill in more of the details of this epic journey in the footsteps of the Porcupine herd of caribou.

While the narrative follows the progress of the caribou herd's trek along a continuum spanning three seasons, it is interwoven with backflashes to planning and preparation for the expedition, reflections on the ecological and cultural place occupied by caribou, and forays into the politics of oil exploration and its impact on the Arctic wildlife.

Having now watched the movie and read the book, I remain amazed at the logistics of this journey -- from both the perspective of this expedition, and for the caribou which they follow. The book fleshed in much of what I suspected from the start -- that the annual migration of the caribou is a grueling marathon through a landscape that is both beautiful, but fraught with perils far beyond our imaginings.

From the perspective of adventure writing, Heuer delivers a fast-paced narrative that provides a good understanding of the landscape and the logistics of the journey. We are given enough details to vicariously feel the weight of a 70 pound backpack, the chill of wading a half-frozen river, and the helpless sense of frustration while watching a lost caribou calf straying from the herd to certain death on the tundra. We're given a generous glimpse into the thoughts of the writer as he and his partner face fear, pain, and fatigue, but also experience joy, excitement, and a growing respect for the caribou - as well as a grave concern for their future.

But this book should be regarded as much more than a travel or adventure narrative. It provides a much-needed window into the lives of the caribou and their place in the unique and fragile web of Arctic ecology. It also provides a background to the political and environmental issues that endanger the future of the north.

Pretty good
It is a shame what may happen to the caribou herd if or when drilling happens. His message on the caribou herd is 5 star message. All in all a pretty good book.

Adventure in a Place Most of us Will Never Visit
Getting used to each other is hard enough, but then to be swimming rivers that are barely free of ice, to climb mountain ranges in the snow, meeting up with grizzly bears that are not overly friendly. It takes a special kind of couple to spend their honeymoon following a herd of caribou across northern Canada and Alaska for four months.

They traveled over a thousand miles to study the caribou to produce a film of their migration to the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The flyleaf of the book says that it is an 'Adventure Narrative' and it is. It's also a lot more than that as most of us don't know what the current debate about drilling for oil and gas in the ANWR is all about. Needless to say, as a wildlife biologist the author has very definite views on the subject.

The ANWR is a place that most of us will never see. It's a place that most people never heard of. And unfortunately, it's probably a place that will be damaged, if not destroyed in the search for energy. As a congresswoman told the author: 'the bottom line for voters on this issue is cheap gas. '

This book is a story of the life of teh animals in the north, and of the people who study them. It's a story worth reading about. Thank you Mr. Heuer for bringing this to our attention.

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